Virgo Constellation: Spica and the Spring Sky

Virgo is the second-largest constellation in the sky and the largest of the zodiac constellations. While its star pattern is somewhat faint and sprawling, it contains the brilliant blue-white star Spica and an extraordinary concentration of galaxies known as the Virgo Cluster. For spring sky enthusiasts and galaxy hunters alike, Virgo is essential territory. Find it in your sky with StarGlobe.

How to Find Virgo

The classic method uses the Big Dipper in Ursa Major. Follow the arc of the Dipper's handle to reach Arcturus in Bootes, then continue the same curve southward to arrive at Spica, Virgo's brightest star. The mnemonic "arc to Arcturus, speed on to Spica" has guided stargazers for generations.

Spica is easy to confirm because it has a distinct blue-white color and sits in a relatively star-poor region of sky. The rest of Virgo extends to the north and west of Spica, forming an elongated Y-shape or reclining figure, though these fainter stars require reasonably dark skies to trace.

As a zodiac constellation, Virgo lies along the ecliptic, and the Sun spends more time passing through Virgo than through any other constellation, roughly 45 days each year from mid-September to early November.

Spica: The Ear of Wheat

Spica shines at magnitude 1.0, making it the 15th brightest star in the sky. It is a spectroscopic binary system about 250 light-years away, consisting of two hot blue giant stars orbiting each other every four days. The stars are so close that they distort each other into egg shapes. Together, the system radiates about 12,100 times the Sun's luminosity.

Spica represents an ear of wheat held by the maiden figure of Virgo, connecting the star to agricultural traditions. The star played a role in the history of science: observations by Hipparchus around 129 BCE comparing Spica's position to earlier records led to the discovery of the precession of the equinoxes, one of the most important discoveries in ancient astronomy.

The Virgo Galaxy Cluster

The northern part of Virgo, extending into neighboring Coma Berenices, contains the heart of the Virgo Cluster, the nearest large galaxy cluster to the Milky Way. This enormous concentration contains over 1,300 galaxies centered roughly 54 million light-years away. The cluster's gravitational influence extends across a vast region and affects the motion of our own Local Group of galaxies.

Amateur telescopes reveal dozens of Virgo Cluster galaxies. M87, a giant elliptical galaxy at the cluster's center, is famous as the first galaxy whose supermassive black hole was directly imaged by the Event Horizon Telescope in 2019. M49, M58, M59, M60, M84, M86, M89, and M90 are all accessible with moderate amateur equipment. Markarian's Chain, a curved line of galaxies including M84 and M86, is a popular target for astrophotographers.

The Sombrero Galaxy (M104), with its distinctive dark dust lane and bright bulge, lies near Virgo's southern border. It is one of the most photogenic galaxies in the sky and is visible in small telescopes as an elongated glow.

Mythology and Cultural Heritage

Virgo has been associated with various goddesses and agricultural figures. In Greek mythology, she is most often identified with Demeter, goddess of the harvest, or her daughter Persephone. According to the myth, when Persephone was taken to the underworld, Demeter's grief caused winter. Her return each spring corresponds to Virgo's visibility in the evening sky, linking the constellation to the cycle of seasons.

The Babylonians associated the constellation with Ishtar, the goddess of fertility. The Romans connected it to Ceres, their grain goddess, from whom the word "cereal" derives. The association with agriculture is reinforced by Spica representing a sheaf of grain. In Egyptian astronomy, the constellation was linked to Isis, another goddess associated with fertility and the harvest.

Best Time to Observe

Virgo is best observed during spring evenings, from March through June. The constellation reaches its highest point during May evenings for Northern Hemisphere observers. This is also the best season for galaxy hunting, as the Virgo Cluster is well-placed high in the sky during dark evening hours.

From the Southern Hemisphere, Virgo is visible in the northern sky during autumn months (March through June in the southern calendar), making Spica a conspicuous marker above the northern horizon.

Neighboring Constellations

Leo lies to the west of Virgo, with Libra to the east. Bootes and Arcturus are to the north, and Corvus and Crater sit to the southwest. Coma Berenices, just to the north, shares the Virgo Cluster's galaxy-rich territory. Serpens Caput borders Virgo to the east. Map out the spring galaxy corridor with StarGlobe.

Quick Facts

Virgo covers 1,294 square degrees, making it the second-largest constellation after Hydra. It contains eleven Messier objects, more than any other constellation, almost all of them galaxies. Spica shines at magnitude 1.0. The constellation's right ascension ranges from about 11h 37m to 15h 11m, and its declination spans from about -22 to +14 degrees. The autumnal equinox point lies within Virgo's borders.